Daisy's Use Of The Void In The Great Gatsby

The void that the characters of The Great Gatsby constantly attempt to fill is one of a pit of sorrow and disparity. Whether it be love, sex, fame, or fortune, the motivation of these characters is a blind search into filling the empty void in their hearts. Furthermore, these characters use the proletariat an effort to validate themselves. The working class works for the upper class in a never ending cycle that never really pleases anyone. There are other means by which characters, such as Jordan and Tom, try to please themselves. Moreover, Gatsby has a shady background that he accepted in order to achieve his American Dream. The lavish spending and immoral behavior of the bourgeoisie portrayed in The Great Gatsby puts physical and emotional

burdens on the bourgeoisie and proletariat because of all the work that has to be done to satisfy the internalized emptiness that the upper class tries to bury with ritzy parties and other trivial matters.
It was the roaring twenties, World War I was finally over and many throughout the world were left with a sense of cynicalism and disillusionment.

Daisy herself says, “Well, I’ve had a very bad time, Nick, and I’m pretty cynical about about everything” (Fitzgerald 16). The people that can afford it, try to forget the war. Forgetting can be brought about by drinking, drugs, and endless parties. Although Gatsby’s motives for his parties are Daisy, the people that comes to his parties are there to forget what’s going on in their real lives. Many of the bourgeoisie are caring carelessly. Even in modern times, many get wrapped up in social media and other distractions instead of facing reality. Perhaps Daisy is so disliked because she reflects the vices of many readers. Everyone pretends to be something they’re not, whether it be a fool or someone

‘great.’
The reasons that the proletariat are stuck in their class is because they work for the bourgeoisie in a never ending cycle. No one can rise up in the society where candles are continuously lit for no real reason. The upper class uses the lower class as a means to validate their power and clean up their messes. This is demonstrated by Daisy and Tom who are a completely reckless couple that “let other people clean up the mess they [have] made” (Fitzgerald 179). Moreover, no man can rise up out of the Valley of Ashes to achieve their American Dream. This constant struggle is embodied by Myrtle. “Myrtle mistakes the sordid trappings of her love nest in the city for elegance” (Nagel). She, in efforts to climb the social ladder, believes that Tom loves her; however, Myrtle would never socially be accepted because people like Tom look down on her. Tom and the rest of East Egg believes that they are superior because of their wealthy upbringings. Myrtle comes from the Valley of Ashes and slept her way to money. Her death is not only the death of her person, but of her dream.
Tom, much like Wilson’s character in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, is shown to occasionally have loose morals.

He is careless in his acts of sin. Again, the dynamic duo that is Daisy and Tom is a bundle of carelessness. “The same is true of Margot, who smashes Macomber and lets Wilson clean up her mess” (Meyer 35-37). He has no thoughts about his consequences. Technically, Tom’s actions could be blamed for the deaths of three characters. First would be Myrtle because he chose to sleep with her and lead her on; thus, she ends up running to his car and getting killed. The second and third deaths are Wilson and Gatsby. By sleeping with Myrtle, he killed her which led to Wilson killing Gatsby and himself. The fact that he cheats on his wife with multiple women is one that most in society avoid acknowledging. Furthermore, Jordan Baker is also a known cheater; however, she is not punished but rather those incidents are swept under the rug. The elites purposely ignore this because they know that they are just as

bad.
The means by which Gatsby makes his money are quite murky; however, it is very clear that he and Meyer Wolfsheim are in very shady business dealings together. His motivation is Daisy and he doesn’t care how he gets it. Gatsby’s actions coincide with Ayn Rand’s philosophy: Objectivism. This idea is best described as “One’s life is one’s own, as is the responsibility for sustaining and enhancing it” (Hicks 1-3). Gatsby makes it his duty to enhance his life by having Daisy in it. Gatsby is not seen as ruthless, but it does appear that he gains this mentality. When he finally has her, Gatsby is still left unfulfilled. He is not the god that he sees himself as, but actually “he is for most of the novel a force of corruption: a criminal, a bootlegger, and an adulterer” (Will). This so-called ‘great’ man is actually just an ignorant, small man that always needs more. Daisy is Gatsby’s American Dream. He pulls himself into the upper class, but is never satisfied.
Wilson’s dreams juxtapose Gatsby’s reality. While both were lower class, one has risen up. Gatsby achieved his American Dream in true American fashion, by shady dealings with shady people. Wilson is a humble man whose life is a burden. He never truly gets anywhere in life because he is acquiring his money through work and sweat, not under the table dealings. Wilson is a man who once had dreams and ambitions. Now, his dreams have faded down in the Valley of Ashes along with Dr. T.J. Eckleburg.